The Family Crest, 'The World'

Here's a breathtaking video from my favorite new band, The Family Crest. What I love about this San Francisco-based seven-piece band is their boundless joy. Liam McCormick, the main singer and driving force, has a huge voice, schooled in opera and jazz. And to fit the epic nature of the song "The World," from The Family Crest's album, Beneath The Brine, and the huge sound of the band, McCormick had a big thought. Director Keith Lancaster remembers getting a call from him about the setting this song to video: "He had an idea for 'The World' that involved the band playing synchronized sets in different locations. I liked the idea of showing off some amazing places in California and making a kinda quirky feel-good video to match such an uplifting song.

Laura Bergmann, who plays flute (among other things), told us in an email how they mapped out a strategy. "From a technical standpoint, the video was incredibly scientific, because our goal was to create a 'green screen' effect, so at each location, we used a measurement system to make sure every person, instrument and camera was in exactly the same place. Luckily the final product ended up being what we envisioned!"

In a joint email, Laura and Liam wrote, "In the end, this song is about experiencing the good and bad in life, and being able to recognize the beauty and fluid nature of our existence. By shooting amidst these epic landscapes, we explore 'The World' and our admiration for it while acknowledging the impact it has on us as humans."

On the current All Songs Considered, a look at the year in music so far, I named The Family Crest as my favorite new band of the year. If you want to hear more from the band's recent album, Beneath The Brine,the title track is included on the show.

January 31, 2018 
This time around, the band has teamed up with Greg Kurstin, who's fresh off of a repeat win for producer of the year at the Grammys for his work with the Foo Fighters, Beck, Adele and Sia.